About Science Progress

What we do

Science Progress is the premier online journal of progressive science and technology policy from the Center for American Progress. We research, write, and publish articles, opinion editorials, reports, and podcasts that examine current issues in science and technology through a progressive policy lens. Our readers do not come to Science Progress just to keep up with current developments in the life sciences, bioethics, climate science, clean technology, information technology, and oceans and environmental science. They come to learn about how these issues are shaping—and being shaped by—public policy. Through this work we are building piece by piece the progressive narrative of science and technology policy.

Where we stand

The creativity and ingenuity of Americans have always driven the nation’s growth and prosperity. As the president said in his 2011 State of the Union address, “In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives. It is how we make our living.” At Science Progress we believe that scientific inquiry is among the finest expressions of human excellence, a crucial source of human flourishing, a critical engine of economic growth, and that it must be dedicated to the common good. We believe our government must recognize the central importance of science and technological innovation in driving economic progress, and in guiding our policy choices to overcome the challenges of this and future generations. We know that the ultimate test of progress is the promotion of greater freedom, justice, and quality of life for all people.

The challenges we face

Our people face great challenges. Ensuring economic growth, improving energy and national security, mitigating climate change, ending disease and poverty, and achieving just governance are just a few of the many challenges that science and technology are helping to solve.

The 20th century witnessed unprecedented achievements in science and technology that radically reshaped society; the taming of the atom, the unraveling of the genome, and the digital interconnection of the world have shaped how nations interact and the way we conceive of ourselves and what it means to be human. Our scientific and technological advances have fueled a vast expansion of wealth with the creation of new industries, new products, and new ways of doing business. Some of them, such as carbon-fueled machines that drive our economy, the use of human embryos in genetic research, or the genetic manipulation of staple foods, have also led to perilous ethical and environmental questions.

Where will scientific discoveries take us in the 21st century? How will the technologies of the future affect our everyday lives? Will our moral values be able to adjust to our ever increasing power over nature—and should they? How should our public and private institutions— government, universities, businesses, nonprofits—manage the challenges and nurture the potential of scientific discovery and technology innovation? And how can America protect its leadership role in a world of increasing global competitiveness? Science Progress offers creative insights on developments large and small across a broad spectrum of scientific research and public policy.

If democracy is to thrive, we must find new, more effective ways to integrate open scientific inquiry into our policymaking process. We must be willing to change our practices in light of new findings and to develop an educational and cultural environment that supports innovative, evidence-based and data-driven policymaking. Science Progress is helping tell the story of how policymakers, scientists, business leaders, and the public are negotiating the core human values that shape the interpretation of evidence and the trajectory of human advancement.

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What We Work On

What we do

Science Progress is the premier online journal of progressive science and technology policy from the Center for American Progress. We research, write, and publish articles, opinion editorials, reports, and podcasts that examine current issues in science and technology through a progressive policy lens. Our readers do not come to Science Progress just to keep up with current developments in the life sciences, bioethics, climate science, clean technology, information technology, and oceans and environmental science. They come to learn about how these issues are shaping—and being shaped by—public policy. Through this work we are building piece by piece the progressive narrative of science and technology policy.

Where we stand

The creativity and ingenuity of Americans have always driven the nation’s growth and prosperity. As the president said in his 2011 State of the Union address, “In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives. It is how we make our living.” At Science Progress we believe that scientific inquiry is among the finest expressions of human excellence, a crucial source of human flourishing, a critical engine of economic growth, and that it must be dedicated to the common good. We believe our government must recognize the central importance of science and technological innovation in driving economic progress, and in guiding our policy choices to overcome the challenges of this and future generations. We know that the ultimate test of progress is the promotion of greater freedom, justice, and quality of life for all people.

The challenges we face

Our people face great challenges. Ensuring economic growth, improving energy and national security, mitigating climate change, ending disease and poverty, and achieving just governance are just a few of the many challenges that science and technology are helping to solve.

The 20th century witnessed unprecedented achievements in science and technology that radically reshaped society; the taming of the atom, the unraveling of the genome, and the digital interconnection of the world have shaped how nations interact and the way we conceive of ourselves and what it means to be human. Our scientific and technological advances have fueled a vast expansion of wealth with the creation of new industries, new products, and new ways of doing business. Some of them, such as carbon-fueled machines that drive our economy, the use of human embryos in genetic research, or the genetic manipulation of staple foods, have also led to perilous ethical and environmental questions.

Where will scientific discoveries take us in the 21st century? How will the technologies of the future affect our everyday lives? Will our moral values be able to adjust to our ever increasing power over nature—and should they? How should our public and private institutions— government, universities, businesses, nonprofits—manage the challenges and nurture the potential of scientific discovery and technology innovation? And how can America protect its leadership role in a world of increasing global competitiveness? Science Progress offers creative insights on developments large and small across a broad spectrum of scientific research and public policy.

If democracy is to thrive, we must find new, more effective ways to integrate open scientific inquiry into our policymaking process. We must be willing to change our practices in light of new findings and to develop an educational and cultural environment that supports innovative, evidence-based and data-driven policymaking. Science Progress is helping tell the story of how policymakers, scientists, business leaders, and the public are negotiating the core human values that shape the interpretation of evidence and the trajectory of human advancement.

What We Believe

Science Progress proceeds from the propositions that scientific inquiry is among the finest expressions of human excellence, that it is a crucial source of human flourishing, a critical engine of economic growth, and must be dedicated to the common good. Scientific inquiry entails global responsibilities. It should lead to a more equitable, safer, and healthier future for all of humankind.